Federal Contracts & Grants Support R&D

The United States government invests over 2 billion dollars per year to fund innovative research and small businesses. These programs are called the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology-Transfer Research (STTR) programs. It is possible for entrepreneurs and inventors to get funded by the government to develop innovative research and products.

Government Invests More $$ in Seed Stages Than VC's

Between 2000 and 2009, the SBIR / STTR programs awarded more funding (total more than $18 billion) to companies with technology in the seed stage than venture capital firms invested (almost $12 billion) in the same stage of development.  In 2009, 6,652 grants were made worth almost $2B across the various federal agencies (DOD, HHS, DOE, NSF, NASA, USDA, etc.)  The awards are either contracts or grants to the companies, and do not need to be repaid, nor do they require giving up any equity.  The grants are merit-based and limited to firms of less than 500 people.

Rande is an expert in leveraging these programs to develop technology as evidenced by the fact that he has been awarded multiple programs worth millions of dollars with several different companies.  He works with his BHFS clients to protect ideas and inventions, and help the client focus their research on opportunities that may be patented to provide value to the company.

Furthermore, for clients who are interested in raising Government funding, Rande can introduce them to a network of service providers who can help identify opportunities, pre-market the concept, and prepare the proposal.  Further, these professionals can help facilitate the process of commercialization of the technology by helping identify the beachhead market.

Government Support for Patenting Your Invention

Furthermore, Rande can connect clients with accountants who can help them to fund their patent development activities with the overhead and profit earned by performing the government-sponsored research.  

Once patents have been filed, there are experts who can help to market that idea to angels and venture capitalists who can continue to help fund the process of building a business around the inventions.  As the business continues to raise funding and develop technology, Rande works to develop the concept into a valuable patent portfolio that can be protected and then licensed and/or sold.

Please  contact  Rande with any questions you might have.